Machine for inserting elongated,laterally compressible strips in concrete joints and the like



Jan. 21, 1969 s. D.TONJES ET AL 3,422,734

MACHINE FOR INSERTING ELONGATED, LATERALLY COMPRESSIBLE STRIPS IN CONCRETE JOINTS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 23, 1966 Sheet I of 2 FIG! INVENTORS: DELMONT D. BROWN BURL D.TONJES I W g/4W ATT'YS Jan. 21, 1969 TONJES ET AL 3,422,734

MACHINE FOR INSERTING ELONGATED, LATERALLY COMPRESSIBLE STRIPS IN CONCRETE JOINTS AND THE LIKE Sheet Filed Nov. 23, 1966 G6 INVENTORS: DELMONT D. BROWN BURL D.TONJES 'ATT'YS MACHINE FOR INSERTING ELONGATED, LAT- ERALLY COMPRESSIBLE STRIPS IN CONCRETE JOINTS AND THE LIKE Burl D. Tonjes, Malinta, and Belmont D. Brown, North Baltimore, Ohio, assignors to The D. S. Brown Company, North Baltimore, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 596,599 U.S. CI. 94-39 Int. Cl. E010: 19/00; Eillc 21/00; B2311 19/02 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention in general relates to machines for inserting elongated, laterally compressible strips in slots or grooves, especially in expansion and contraction joints and the like in concrete roadways, concrete airstrips, concrete floors and the like. More particularly, the invention pertains to portable machines adapted to move along the slots or grooves while laterally compressing and inserting resilient, laterally compressible, elastomer strips into such slots or grooves.

Briefly, the invention herein relates to portable machines for inserting a strip as aforedescribed in concrete pavement joints. The machine comprises, in combination, a frame structure including a central frame member. Opposing, strip compressing discs are rotatably j'ournaled on stub axles mounted on the frame structure, preferably as stub axles extending laterally from the central frame between the upper portions of the discs. The strip compression discs are canted in spaced, downwardly converging relationship and are power driven by a drive mechanism coupled to an engine mounted on the frame structure. The discs have opposing annular strip compressing faces. A narrow discharge wheel is rotatably mounted between the discs substantially in contact between the opposing faces at the lower portion of the discs. The discharge wheel ejects downwardly from said faces the laterally compressed strip as it is carried by the r0- tating discs into the bottom area thereof. The axis of rotation of the discharge wheel is rearwardly eccentric of the axes of rotation of the discs and preferably is mounted on said central frame member by manually adjustable means for shifting the discharge wheel forwardly and rearwardly between the discs. The discs preferably are mounted on the stub axles by nuts, with or without spacer washers, said nuts or washers being useful for adjusting the distance between the opposing faces of the discs.

In recent years, there have been developed for use as expansion and contraction joint seals tubular-like elastomer strips which are inserted into the joints to seal them against intrusion by water, dirt and the like. The

Patented Jan. 21, 1969 sides of the joint seal strips are in tight, sealing contact with the side walls of the slots forming the joints.

This invention pertains to machines in which strips of the aforesaid character are fed from a spool or other source, laterally compressed between rotating, converging discs to a width narrower than the slot or groove froming the joint, and ejected in the compressed state from said discs into the joint by a thin edged discharge wheel which is rotatable rearwardly and between the converging discs. Upon such ejection, the inserted strip expands outwardly against the side walls of the joint.

The machines of this invention are characterized by a frame on Which a pair of opposing, downwardly converging discs are rotatably journalled. The converging discs rotate and compress therebetween the strip as it is drawn downwardly and rearwardly therebetween to the bottom portion of the discs. At this point the strip is ejected in a laterally compressed state by a freely rotatable discharge wheel and pushed into the slot forming the concrete joint.

More particularly, the invention provides a portable machine for inserting an elongated, laterally compressible strip in an elongated concrete joint, which comprises, in combination, a frame, opposed, strip-compressing discs rotatably journalled on said frame with respective axes of rotation sloping oppositely downwardly at an angle of about 14 with reference to the horizontal, said discs having opposing, annular, strip-compressing faces which are in spaced, downwardly converging relationship, power drive means rotatably driving said discs, a narrow discharge wheel rotatably mounted between said discs for ejecting downwardly therefrom a laterally compressed strip as it is carried by said rotating discs into the bottom area thereof, the axis of rotation of said discharge wheel being rearwardly eccentric of said axes of rotation, and support wheels on said frame for rolling said machine along said joint as the strip is progressively ejected by said discharge wheel and forced into said joint.

The invention further provides a pressure roller mounted on said frame contiguous to the bottom of each strip-compressing disc, each roller rolling against the outer face of its respective disc near the periphery thereof to resist warping or bending of said discs during lateral compression of said strip.

In a preferred form, the invention provides discs each comprising a disc body having on its peripheral edge a flange directed toward the opposite disc and a radially outwardly extending rim on each flange, the opposing faces of said rims constituting the strip-compressing faces of said discs, and said rims being substantially parallel in the bottom area of said discs.

The eccentric discharge wheel preferably is supported by arm means on said frame between said discs in combination with means for holding said arm means on said machine frame member in different horizontal positions thereon whereby said discharge wheel can be shifted forwardly or rearwardly relative to said strip-compressing discs. The strip feed preferably comprises means rotatably supporting a spool of said strip on said frame, and strip-guide means for guiding said strip from said spool into the space between said discs at the front of said machine. The discs further preferably have an additional pressure roller mounted on said frame contiguous to the lower front portions of each strip-compressing disc, each roller rolling against the outer face of its respective disc near the periphery thereof to resist warping or bending of said discs during lateral compression of said strip. For guiding the machine, there is a front guide wheel positioned on the front of said machine to ride in said joint and guide forward motion of said machine during the strip-laying operation.

An object of the invention is to provide machines for laterally compressing and inserting into a slot or groove an elongated, laterally compressible strip which is fed to the machine during the strip-inserting operation. A still further object of the invention is to provide improvements in mechanisms for laterally compressing and inserting laterally compressible strips into slots or grooves.

A particular object of the invention is to provide portable machines for laterally compressing and inserting into a slot or groove a flexible, laterally compressible strip which is fed to the machine during the strip inserting operation, said machine having a frame and stripcompression discs rotatably supported on said frame. Still another object of the invention is to provide machines as aforecharacterized with means mounting the discharge wheel between the discs on said center frame portion, said means providing adjustable forward and rearward positioning of the discharge wheel.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects, advantages, features, and inherent functions of the invention will be apparent as the same are more fully understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section view taken on section 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view as seen from section plane 33 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the machine is described in sub-sections as hereinafter identified by the headings.

Frame and support wheels The illustrated machine comprises a center, vertical, frame plate 10, to the upper edge of which is rigidly attached a horizontal frame plate 11. The plates and 11 together form a T-frame section with the top plate 11 projecting forwardly of the front edge of the vertical plate 10.

A frame bar 12 in the form of an inverted, substantially U-shaped bar is rigidly secured at its flat, bight portion 13 to the underside of the front portion of top plate 11. The respective lower ends of the bar 12 are bolted by bolts 14 to the front portions of horizontally extending, L-channel, frame members 15 respectively extending along each lower side of the machine. The rearward ends of the L-channel members 15 are rigidly attached to the respective lower ends of vertical, rear, frame posts 16, which are braced relative to the center plate 10 by the diagonal brace bars 17. The rear bar posts 16 are further braced relative to each other by the horizontal brace bar 18 extending therebetween.

A pair of rearwardly extending angle irons 19 rigidly attached at their forward ends to the respective lower portions of vertical posts 1 6 form the underframing for the rear platform 20.

The wheels on which the machine is supported comprise a forward pair of roller wheels 21 respectively having stub axles 22 extending through respective vertical slots 23 in the vertical legs of the L-channel members 15. The inner ends of said stub axles are threaded, and nuts 24 respectively threaded thereon hold the axles and wheels in the desired vertical orientation in slots 23. Bushings or washers 25 space the hub portion and bearing 26 of wheels 21 outwardly from the respective L-channel members 15.

A rear pair of roller wheels 27 of like structure to wheels 21 have their respective stub axles 29 extending through vertical slots 28 in the rear ends of the vertical legs of L-channel members and the lower ends of vertical posts 16. The wheels are mounted at the rear of the frame as aforedescribed with respect to wheels 21.

Strip-compressing discs A pair of disc-mounting bars 32 and 33 are attached rigidly to opposite sides of center frame plate 10 in spaced, opposing, downwardly depending relationship. Stub axles 34 respectively have their inner ends rigidly mounted in the respective lower portions of disc-mounting bars and extend laterally outwardly therefrom in respective downward slopes of their longitudinal axes in the order of about 14 with reference to the horizontal. The hubs 36 of the downwardly canted, horizontally spaced, opposing, strip-compression discs 44 and 45 are rotatably journalled by anti-friction bushings 35 (or roller bearings, if desired) on respective axles 34. The outer ends 38 of said axles are threaded, and nuts 39 are threaded thereon until discs 44 and 45 have the desired spacing therebetween. Nuts 39 preferably are the type having conventional, releasable means to lock the nuts against rotation after they are set in the desired threaded position. Alternatively, the spacing of discs 44 and 45 may be adjusted by interposing suflicient washers 40 between the nuts 39 and outer ends of hubs 36.

The respective strip-compression discs 44 and 45 comprise ring plates 37 rigidly secured at their radially inner portions to the respective inner faces of hubs 36-. A ring flange 41 extends laterally inwardly at a substantially right angle to the respective ring plates 37 around the periphery of the ring plates and is rigid therewith. The laterally inner edges of ring flanges 41 respectively have rigidly mounted thereon strip-compression rims 42 which are oriented so that the opposing, ring-shaped, strip-contacting faces 43 are substantially parallel in the bottom area of the opposing discs. The greatest divergence of said faces is in the top area of the opposing discs.

If desired, the hubs 36 and stub axles 34 may be reversed, e.g., by fixedly mounting the hubs on the frame and by rigidly securing the stub axles to the compression discs for rotation therewith and rotatably journaling said stub axles in said hubs while maintaining the slope of the stub axles essentially as illustrated in FIG. 2.

Compressible strip feed The laterally compressible elastomer strip 46 is fed to the strip-compression discs 44 and 45 at the forward end of the machine through a guide tube 47. Guide tube 47 is a vertical tube rigidly mounted on the front of the machine. Its lower end is positioned between the front portions of the discs whereby strip exiting therefrom is guided just prior to gripping by opposing faces 43 of said discs as they rotate counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 1 and thereby converge to grip and laterally compress strip 46 as it is carried downwardly and rearwardly toward the bottom area of said discs. The lower end of tube 47 preferably has a tongue 48 on its rearward side to keep the strip 46 from working radially inwardly of the strip-compression faces 43. The rearward edge of tongue 48 is approximately tangential to the inner edges of the faces 43.

Strip-discharge wheel Strip 46 reaches its state of smallest compressed width at the bottom area of discs 44 and 45. In this area, it it forceably ejected downwardly by the discharge wheel.

A pair of opposed vertical bars 50 and 51 depend from center frame plate 10 to the rear of the center of discs 44 and 45. Because, however, the rearward thrust by strip of said bars. A thin, strip-discharge wheel is freely rotatably journalled by a roller hearing or ball bearing 53 on axle 52. The wheel 54 has a width approximating the space between faces 43 at the lower portions thereof so that said faces and the sides of wheel 54 just clear each other. This close relationship is essential to eliminate extrusion of the elastomer strip into the spaces between the sides of the wheel 54 and faces 43 of discs 44 and 45 under the intensive compression forces developed in the lateral compression of strip 46.

The discharge wheel 54 may be shifted forwardly or rearwardly relative to discs 44 and 45 to adjust the path of downward and rearward ejection of the laterally compressed strip 46 from said discs and into the slot or groove 60 forming the expansion and contraction joint in the concrete 61. To this end, the upper ends of bars 50- and 51 are attached to center frame plate by bolts and nuts 55, the shanks of which extend through a horizontal slot 56 in plate 10. Bolts and nuts 55 are tightened when wheel 54 is in the desired position relative to discs 44 and 45. Because, however, the rearward thrust by strip 46 against wheel 54 is too great to be resisted by the tightened bolts and unts '55, a horizontal, rearwardlyextending thrust bar 57 is rigidly secured to and between bars 50 and 51 immediately below plate 57. A screwthreaded block or nut 58 is rigidly mounted on the lower edge of plate 10 to the rear of thrust bar 57. Block or nut 58 threadedly holds a bolt 59, the forward end of which is brought into engagement with the rear end of thrust bar 57 when discharge wheel 54 is in the desired position. Bolt 59 and thrust bar 57 form adjustable means precluding rearward displacement of wheel 54 from its adjustably set position under the rearward thrust of strip 46 as the latter is ejected.

Pressure rollers The forces required to laterally compress elastomer strips used for sealing concrete joints are substantial. Therefore, each disc 44 and 45 has two pressure rollers 62 hearing against the outer edge portion of said discs at the bottom portions and the lower forward portions thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, these pressure rollers 62 roll against the respective outer faces of rims 42. The lower pair of rollers 62 each is rotatably mounted on a shaft or pin 63 projecting from the inner end of an arm 64. The opposite, outer end of arm 64 has a longitudinal slot 65 through which extends the shank 66 of a bolt. The bolts for the lower pair of rollers project through holes in the horizontal leg 67 of L-channel 15. Nuts 68 are tightened with the pressure wheels 62 against the outer faces of rims 42.

The machine frame also includes a pair of triangular templates 70 respectively rigidly attached to the fronts of L-channels 15. A heavy plate 71 extends across the front of the machine between templates 70 and is rigidly secured thereto. The plate 71 slopes in its transverse direction and serves to mount an additional pair of similar pressure wheels 72 at the lower front portion of stripcompression discs 44 and 45'. The wheels 72 are mounted on arms 73 between guide bars 74, the latter being rigid with the plate 71. The arms 73 have slots 75, and the nuts and bolts are tightened with the pressure wheels 72 against the outer faces of rims 42.

Front guide wheel A narrow front guide wheel 78 is rotatably journalled by hearing 80 attached on the shaft 79. The latter extends between L-channels 15. Wheel 78 rides in the joint 60 and guides the machine during its forward travel during the strip-laying operation.

Power drive The machine is powered by gasoline engine 90 the drive shaft 81 of which has a pulley 82 which drives by V-belt 83 the pulley 84 of the driven shaft 85 of gear reducer 86. The gear reducer has two drive sprockets 87 connected by chains 88 to the larger sprockets 89 on the respective strip-compression discs 44 and 45.

In the preferred form, the rearward thrust of the strip 46 into joint 60 imparts forward propulsion to the machine. It is contemplated, however, that one or more of the support wheels may be driven to provide forward propulsion at a rate substantially equal to the rate of laying strip 46 in joint 60.

The strip is fed to the compression discs 44 and 45 through guide tube 47 from a spool rotatably supported in any suitable manner on the machine, e.g., by having its center tube or hubs 96 rotatably supported on the upper ends of vertical arms 97 of a U-bar 98, the base of which is supported on top plate 11 by supports 99.

Strip laying The machine can be rolled by lowering wheels 21 and/ or 27 enough to raise wheel 54 above the surface on which the machine is rolled. When moving the machine a short distance, e.g., from one joint to another, wheels 21 and 27 may remain as shown in the drawings. A man or a weight or weights, e.g., sandbags, can stand or be laid on the rear of the machine to tilt the machine until it rolls on wheels 27 and the pair of rear wheels 100. The machine tilts enough so that discharge wheel 54 clears the concrete over which the machine rolls.

The strip is started at an end of a transverse joint by backing the machine off the side of the concrete slabs until wheels 21 are just on the edge. The strip is forced into the end of the joint and the machine begins its advance by virtue of the forward thrust imparted through the strip. The same technique is used in butt-splicing the ends of strips in the same joint.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A portable machine for inserting an elongated laterally compressible strip in an elongated concrete pavement joint which comprises in combination, a frame structure, opposing, strip compressing discs rotatably journalled on said frame structure with said discs canted in spaced, downwardly converging relationship, said discs having opposing, heavy duty rims with opposing, annular, stripcompressing faces which are in spaced, downwardly converging relationship 'and are substantially parallel in the bottom, strip-discharge area thereof, power drive means rotatably driving said discs including an engine mounted on said frame structure, a central frame member extending between the upper portions of said discs, a narrow discharge wheel rotatably mounted between said discs for ejecting downwardly therefrom a laterally compressed strip as it is carried by said rotating discs into the bottom area thereof, the axis of rotation of said discharge wheel being rearwardly eccentric of the axes of rotation of said discs and the lower edge of said wheel being lower than the lower edges of said discs, mounting means supported on said frame member for rotatably journalling said discharge wheel for free rotation, and support wheels on said frame structure for rolling said machine along said joint as the strip is progressively ejected by said discharge wheel and forced into said joint with the lower edges of said discs closely adjacent to and above the concrete on opposite sides of said joint and the lower edge of said discharge wheel extending into said joint.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes arms supported on said frame member, and means for adjustably shifting said arms and gischarge wheel forwardly and rearwardly between said 1scs.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said discs are journalled on said frame structure by stub axles extending laterally downwardly at about 14 relative to the 2,354,586 7/ 1944 Fischer 9439 horizontal- 2,761,199 9/1956 Allen 29 235 4. A machine as claimed in 01am 3, and means on sand 3,007,240 11/1961 Heinrich stub axles for ad usting the distance between said op- 3 2 4 posing faces of said discs. 5 82 8/1965 Blown 94 51 X 5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means 7, 49 1967 HohOiT 29-235 on said stub axles includes interchangeable spacer Washers on the outer sides of the hubs of said discs. NILE C. BYERS, JR., Primary Examiner.

R f C't d e 1 e 10 U.S. c1. X.R. UNITED STATES PATENTS 29 235 2,045,256 6/1936 Voigt 9451 X UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,422,734 January 21, 1969 Burl D. Tonjes et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 7, "froming should read forming Column 4, line 70, cancel "Because, however, the rearward thrust of strips" and insert An axle 52 extends between the lower ends Signed and sealed this 14th day of April 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, J r.

Attesting Officer 

